Britt Allcroft, who was the creator of Thomas the Tank Engine, has died at the age of 81, her family has confirmed in an emotional statement shared by a close friend
Britt Allcroft, the creator of Thomas the Tank Engine, has sadly passed away at the age of 81. The TV producer was instrumental in bringing the much-loved children’s series to life in the 1970s after securing the rights to adapt Reverend Wilbert Awdry’s Railway Series.
In 1984, the series aired as Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. She spent four years alongside her husband – TV producer Angus Wright – raising funds to create the first 26 episodes. The show was a runaway success with fans and followed train Thomas with his friends Gordon, James, Henry, Edward, Toby and Percy while working with The Fat Controller. Britt was remembered as an “adoring mother and wife and visionary producer” in an emotional statement shared by her family.
Filmmaker Brannon Carty, who became close to Britt while making a 2023 documentary on the series, shared the statement which read: “It is with great sadness that I share with you the passing of Britt Allcroft.”
“The Allcroft-Wright family has asked me to bring this news to the Thomas fandom. The family is currently in mourning and asks that their privacy be respected at this time,” reports the Mirror.
“She brought so much joy and happiness to people everywhere during her time on Earth. Over the years of knowing Britt, we developed a close connection. It was truly a privilege to have her as both a mentor and a friend, and I’m so glad that so many fans were able to meet her at the New York screening of An Unlikely Fandom. It was an absolute honour to have her in our documentary, and she has since remained a vocal supporter of our cause.”
“I think I can speak for the entirety of the fandom when I say that all of us will deeply miss her. Without her, so many of us would never have met. While I am devastated by her passing, we can all find comfort in the certainty that her legacy will endure forever through Thomas and his fans around the world. Rest in peace.”
Britt previously shared how she first became interested in the characters from the Railway Series while she was making a 1979 documentary about a heritage railway in Sussex, which featured in the books. During this time, she met Awdry.
She revealed: “It really didn’t take me long to become intrigued by the characters, the relationships between them and the nostalgia they invoked.”